NAZIMUDDIN SHYAMOL
CHATTOGRAM, Feb 21: The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025 in Chattogram arranged by the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has gathered momentum.
The fair arranged at the Gymnasium area of the port city gets crowded particularly in the evening. Around 200 publishers have opened stalls at the fair. Besides, cultural programmes have attracted many visitors.
Hundreds of book lovers and writers were at the fair on the International Mother Language Day on Friday.
Publishers said book sales are quite satisfactory, with children and students buying a lot.
Several hundred new books, including Braille books for the blind, were published from Chattogram at this year's fair. Some little magazines were also published.
Some of the published books include Chattogram Jelar Shahitya O Sangskriti, Ahmed Sofa O Onnanya, and Lok Kobi O Lok Sangeet by Shamsul Arefin; Film Wala by Nazimuddin Shyamol; Ami Akriti Adham by Ovik Osman; and Chattogramer Itihasher Prachin Kal by Jamal Uddin.
Among the published poetry books are Khuda O Kopila by Omar Kaisar, Selected Poems by Hossain Kabir, The Silence of Unspoken Words by Nazimuddin Shyamol, and Nirbachito Kobita by Omar Kaisar.
CCC Mayor Shahadat Hossain said the book fair would play a major role in creating a creative, thoughtful, and science-minded generation.
He said the fair is being held with the participation of creative publishers from Dhaka and Chattogram and the cooperation of leaders of Chittagong Creative Publishers Council, Chittagong Citizen Society, freedom fighters, writers, journalists, educationists, and literary and cultural organisations to fulfil the desire of knowledge and imagination of the port city dwellers.
The mayor further said CCC has arranged the biggest book fair in Chattogram, which is also the second largest in the country.
"The fair will enrich writers and cultural activists as well as the people of Chattogram. So, CCC will continue arranging the fair in Chattogram every year," he added.
Shahab Uddin Hasan Babu, member secretary of the fair, said book sales are satisfactory. "Sales have particularly increased this week."
Muhammed Nurul Absar, owner of Abir Prokashon, said, "We have already published 100 books of writers from Chattogram. Those are selling at the fair."
Monirul Monir, owner of Kharimati, said, "Our publication has published poetry books, and I hope those will be appreciated by readers."
Jesmin Akter, an artist and teacher who visited the fair with her children, said, "I am happy to be here as it is almost like the book fair in Dhaka. I have also bought some poetry books."
A total of 140 stalls have been set up at the fair arranged over an area of 100,000 sqft.
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